We've been battling the flu. This was the first cold/flu season in about 4 years where we opted to not get a flu shot (for no reason, really----we weren't reminded by the pediatrician, and were apparently not in the high-risk group), and so I can anecdotally declare that flu shots work.

~~~Quickly ducking so I don't get hit with a squashed tomato from the flu-shots-are-evil people~~~

So anyway, that's where I've been. Tending to sick, cranky people.

I don't have a new recipe today, but have instead rounded up all of the 2008 Flashbacks that I wasn't able to send out. Fingers crossed that the snot, fevers, and all-around-ickiness (you don't want to know, trust me...) stays away next week and everyone is back at school/work and we get back to normal around here.

So there you go! Hopefully that'll keep you busy for a while. If you're reading this in a reader, or through email, you may not have had the opportunity to see that I've put together a Table of Contents that you might find useful.

What's in your pot today? I dug through the freezer bin and threw together a beef stew, since we're housebound and I can't get to the store. I loosely followed my own recipe, but since there as many versions of beef stew as there are missing Barbie shoes, I also tossed in some leftover mixed vegetables and garlic brown rice couscous.

25 comments:

Great roundup, Steph! So sorry you guys have been so sickly. March has to be better! Oh, and because there's chocolate fudge cake in the listing (made in a crockpot? genius!), I forgive you for calling my favorites, artichokes, weird. ;-)

I got my flu shot late this year (in Feb) because everyone I knew was getting the flu. The lady that gave me my shot said that they had given very few shots this year compared to last year. That's why I think there is so much flu going around! I have a quick question: on page 154 of your first cookbook, the recipe calls for Enchilada sauce..... I can't find any gluten free, can you help? Thanks!

April C., La Victoria is gluten free. It's made by Hormel, and here is their website.You'll need to scroll down to click on the link of gluten free foods, and a PDF will pop up. The red and green enchilada sauces are listed on page 6.

Nothing in the pot today, but yesterday I made Orange Chipotle Ribs. But I didn't have any ribs, just some inexpensive steaks. Still yummy. I've been putting that sauce on everything from steamed cabbage to leftover chicken (rotisserie chicken in the slow cooker, of course). It's really tasty.

I hope your March is healthier than your February, and thanks again for all these wonderful recipes.-sue

I am not a big fan of February so I don't particularly mind that it is gone. We still have a ton of snow and it's freezing so I am glad that spring is coming soon!

So sorry to hear how sick you guys have been. Not to brag (as it might bite me in the butt) but the last 2 years have been the healthiest for us. I also have been homeschooling all 3 the last 2 years. I think bringing in less germs from school helps a lot. Make the kids wash their hands immediately when the come in the front door from school, maybe that will help?

Sorry to hear about the in-house epidemic! Hope everyone is 100% well, very soon.

I had such a very horrible experience with flu some years back, I have gotten a shot every year since - even though I haven't always been in the "high-risk" group, and sometimes had to make (and pay for) a special apptmt at my doc's office. It is so much simpler now with local pharmacies set up to give the shots.

In all fairness I think it's just a really strong strain this year. Both people who had gotten flu shots and those of us who haven't have caught it and been dealing with it for just as long. At least that's the case around here.

I hope you all get to feeling better - February disappeared for me as well (having a baby kinda made the month go by quickly. lol)

I just wanted to let you know that because of this website, I've become completely obsessed with cooking in my crock-pots (I DREAM about my crock pots.) I have the 6qt one, the 2 qt one, and I'm about to order the 4qt one that you use (the 4qt I already have cooks really quickly). I never thought crock pots would be something I'd collect. Lol I've used them everyday so far this week, and I was disappointed when my husband said he wanted to make pizza for dinner tonight...I even tried to convince him that we should have Pizza casserole or something - in the crock pot, of course. Ah well. Tomorrow is another day, and because of you, we'll get to eat something new and wonderful. Thanks again! =)

Let me say that I absolutely LOVE your blog. I've got your baked potato soup in my 4qt pot (I halved it) right now and I use recipes from your blog probably 6 to 7 days of the week. I have fibromyalgia and work, and I'm a college student so I have NO time to cook. To add to it, I'm hypertensive, but altering your recipes to have less salt is really very easy and has worked well for our family. (Hubby and me and puppy makes 3 LOL!) And since it's just two of us humans in this house, I often times have plenty of leftovers to freeze for emergency dinners when I'm sick or have no "spoons" left. (googled spoon theory if you don't know what that means).

I am so thankful I found your blog and I recommend it to everyone I know!

Catt - did you run cold water into it while it was still hot or put it in the fridge while it was still hot? That's the only thing I could think of that might cause it to crack for now (apparent) reason.

Nothing in my crock atm......but I am thinking that peanut candy will be making an appearance very soon. My husband voted them better than paydays.

So sorry you were sick! But don't feel bad about missing the flu shots. They have to guess each year which strain to vaccinate for, and they got it wrong this year. Most of the people I know with the flu had gotten flu shots; it just didn't do them any good. So don't feel bad for missing out--you might have ended up sick anyway!

I love that you say dude. THank you. My husband, bless his heart, thinks I'm too old to say dude. Helloooo!? I'm only 37. Sheesh. Maybe you live in SoCal or something and it's more geographically appropriate, but really? It's a great word! (So much beter than "like.")

Not going to throw tomatoes or anything cause I believe everyone should make their own decisions .... but we've NEVER gotten flu shots and we've NOT contracted the flu even when highly exposed by taking care of those who did have it (ie the neighbors who keep contracting the swine flu over and over again). I just dose my family with lots of chopped garlic in some honey throughout the winter ... works awesomely - we rarely get sick since starting that regimen.

Other than that ~ love the site! I've gotten some really good ideas for my family that they have absolutely loved :)

You totally amaze and inspire me!! I'm cooking up your Asian Peanutbutter Pork tonight and hope to share the results on my blog this week if you'd like to see (I'll give you full credit for the fact that I ripped off your recipe and I'm slightly obsessed with you of course :) ). Thanks for sharing all of your amazingness!

Actually Barbie shoes aren't bad mixed with lots of garlic and slow cooked overnight. Sorry you've had the flu-bug cooties in your house. No fun at all. Your chicken and rice soup to the rescue! This list blows me away! I'm pretty much overwhelmed every time I come here.

Your blog rocks - I've cooked at least 30 of your recipes and they are all fabulous!! Tomorrow: creamy apple oatmeal. Going to try it with soy milk and I "went vegan" on Monday. I'll let you know how it works :)

Hello! I found this blog last month because I wanted to get more used out of my crock pot.

I brought a crock pot because I'm on a special diet and I won't have time to cook like before. I just wanted to say Thank you for all the recipes and ideas. I no longer used my stove; don't know if that is a good thing or bad thing.

Anyhoo, what is in my crock pot is Boneless Shoulder Lamb. I had that sitting in my freezer for a long time now and was expecting to cook it in the oven but I saw a recipe on here and decided to try it.